Grid Computing

[YaSO]

Oracle is putting Linux and Linux clustering. At this year's OracleWorld, they are announcing grid computing. Oracle is announcing that the gold era of RISC system is over and a bunch of cheap x86 boxes are taking over the world. I am not so sure if x86 boxes are so reliable, but if we look back, that seems to be the next evolutionary step. Mainframe -> Mini Computer -> PC (x86). Personally I look forward to what Scot McNealy has to say about tomorrow (http://www.oracle.com/oracleworld/online/s...l?keynotes.html (http://www.oracle.com/oracleworld/online/sanfrancisco/2003/index.html?keynotes.html)). Sun is still pushing Solaris/Unix; I don't see how these giant boxes are going to be replaced any soon, but things can happen faster than we think.

[philipwhiteold]

Clustering seems a popular way to go. Render farms have been used for years on CG movies and effects. Linux isn't the only player in this market. Virginia Tech is building a giant Apple G5 cluster of 1100 computers. Super computers still have there place though and can outperform clusters in many tasks.

In the other thread you posted I think mentioned Dell using linux. Dell has been doing linux for some time now but I think they kind of keep a low profile to please Microsoft.

I love the adds SuSe had when they released version 7?. They were pimping details of how much faster oracle runs on linux. :)